The FLASH TV SERIES

[AJBopp]

No, they just prove that the phenomena of hydroplaning exists in real life, that if you move fast enough there is enough surface tension to support the weight of the object moving across it.
Even an ordinary automobile will ride on a layer of water on a wet road if someone drives too fast. Though in this case not being in contact with the road causes a loss of control usually resulting
in an accident.

Flash is not hydroplaning when he's running on water, so this line of discussion isn't really applicable.

[Osiris-Rex]

Flash is not hydroplaning when he's running on water, so this line of discussion isn't really applicable.

Sure he is. At the speeds Flash is traveling the water becomes a non-Newtonian fluid. The surface tension of the water holds his foot up long enough that he can
push against it and move his other foot forward, in turn pushing off on that foot. It's all based upon the speed Flash can travel. Think of skimming a flat rock of
the surface of a pond. When the rock hits the surface of the water the surface tension pushes the rock back up into the air. This continues until the frictional forces
of the air and water cause the rock to lose momentum. If the rock could generate momentum, like Flash does, the rock would skip forever, or at least until it got
to the other side of the point.

[PyroTwilight]

Honestly I don't know why it's hard to believe. It's all real science or scientific theory at worst.

When you move fast enough there's no time to sink into something. Much like how despite the way movies show it it's usually easy to just walk over quicksand despite it being a very viscous solid.


I too questioned why Iris didn't go by another name, or why no one seemed to question who this mysterious new Speedster was but in fairness at least for the former there's not really any reason to choose a name unless she was planning on keeping the powers.

[The Darknight Detective]

Much like how despite the way movies show it it's usually easy to just walk over quicksand despite it being a very viscous solid.

I recall being shocked finding that out a little over 40 years ago. The way the movies and television portrayed quicksand, you would have thought it was some type of sentient being inexorably pulling you down.

[PyroTwilight]

Also y'know this is an odd thought but..do you think Melting Point would ever return that first fire guys powers to him?

I mean they are still technically his. He might be a criminal and arrested but given what Melting Point does can be seen as a violation of a persons body (after all it's THEIR GENETICS) shouldn't he still have them returned to the first guy as long as he can be safely locked up?


I'm sure the show won't touch on the idea but it does seem kinda cruel to not give them back. And even if we assume it's because he's a criminal so is the other guy who has them. And what about when he gets out of prison. Shouldn't he have them returned then if nothing else if he's done his time?


Removing DeVoe's makes sense to some extent since he's an active threat but the others aren't anymore.

[AJBopp]

Sure he is. At the speeds Flash is traveling the water becomes a non-Newtonian fluid. The surface tension of the water holds his foot up long enough that he can
push against it and move his other foot forward, in turn pushing off on that foot. It's all based upon the speed Flash can travel. Think of skimming a flat rock of
the surface of a pond. When the rock hits the surface of the water the surface tension pushes the rock back up into the air. This continues until the frictional forces
of the air and water cause the rock to lose momentum. If the rock could generate momentum, like Flash does, the rock would skip forever, or at least until it got
to the other side of the point.

That is not the phenomenon of hydroplaning, and it's not how water and gravity works.

[Osiris-Rex]

That is not the phenomenon of hydroplaning, and it's not how water and gravity works.

Also think about water skiing. As long as the motorboat pulls the skier fast enough the skier remains above the surface of the water. As soon as the motorboat slows down or the skier lets
go of the tow rope, the skier sinks. Basically the speedster's feet act as water skis.

[Osiris-Rex]

Actually your don't even need water skis. You can water ski barefoot.



How is this different than what Iris was doing, sans the motorboat?

[AJBopp]

Actually your don't even need water skis. You can water ski barefoot.

How is this different than what Iris was doing, sans the motorboat?

THAT is hydroplaning, and it's not what speedsters do. The key is not the speed (though it's a component), but the fact that there is a solid surface in constant contact with the liquid surface of the water. Flash is running, slapping the surface of the water repeatedly with a force greater than his own body weight, and that will mean hydroplaning cannot occur. His (or her) velocity will mean he will travel horizontally much further, but physics will demand that he falls vertically as fast as if he were standing still with that type of motion.

Hydroplaning relies on a few things to in order to occur: constant contact with the water, a surface area of a particular size, a particular distribution of volume, mass and area, among other things. A tire with no tread hydroplanes relatively easily in part because of the amount of surface area in constant contact with water. A treaded tire not so much because because the surface area is dramatically reduced. Also, the distribution of the weight, size, and area of the car that the tires are carrying lend itself to hydroplaning better. A razor could never hydroplane on its edge because there isn't enough surface area.

If they wanted a more realistic portrayal of transportation on water, what you've pictured makes a lot more sense: have him skid (hydroplane) on the water, propelling himself by waving his arms behind him or something.

The reason why speed is an important factor in hydroplaning just gets us into more trouble when talking about a speedster though. You can't really hydroplane without lift. Speed and lift has a formula, something like 20 pounds of lift for every 10 mph of speed. You can't really go there in Flash-world, though, because it would mean he would launch himself to the moon every time he used his power. Gravity could not hold him to the curvature of the earth.

None of this prevents me from enjoying the show, though. It's a bit of silly ridiculousness, like Quill distracting Ronan by dancing badly. But I do think that folks should understand a little of the real-world science around such things.

[BigLbo]

been a while since i watched, does EVERYBODY have powers now??

[Immortal Weapon]

Joe would probably make sense as the leader because he's the most expierenced and the person everybody has a good relationship with so he can be the peacemaker if needed.

I still want Team Flash to go against a supernatural threat in a future season, any ideas?

Mystery girl being Danielle West aka Nu52 reverse Flash and I imagine she's using a similar device to HR to disguise herself.

Gentleman Ghost. He isn't season big bad material but he can work for a one off episode.

[AJBopp]

been a while since i watched, does EVERYBODY have powers now??

It depends on what episode you're watching. Not everyone has powers at the same time.

[theoneandonly]

it does seem like the show is just spinning as the way power should work or doesn't work is getting more discussion than Iris getting power and giving it up to take up writing on her blog again. she didn't seem too happy to me in the last scenes although she convinced Barry she was fine doing her thing again.

[Frontier]

Gentleman Ghost. He isn't season big bad material but he can work for a one off episode.

Hopefully they can do a better Gentleman Ghost then they did Shade.

(Maybe it would give them an excuse to bring back The Hawks too...).

[jyamen]

this show is increasingly making me wish Savitar killed off Iris. She works fine as a reporter. Constantly pushing her a leader or now a superhero is soooo groan worthy.